Human remains unearthed in Surry

Discovery is connected to a 2006 cold-case murder investigation

June 24, 2013|By Ryan Murphy, rmurphy@dailypress.com | 757-247-4760

SURRY COUNTY — The Surry Sherriff's Office and Virginia State Police have uncovered what appear to be human remains in the back yard of a house on the 12000 block of Rolfe Highway in Surry County and believe it is connected to a cold-case murder investigation from 2006.

"We have unearthed what appear to be human remains," said Sgt. Dearyl Anderson with the Surry County Sheriff's Office, who is in charge of the investigation.

The Sheriff's Office received information last week that the victim of an unsolved murder had been killed inside a residence on Rolfe Highway, then buried in the backyard.

After cadaver dogs confirmed what the informant had told officers on Saturday Morning, Surry Sheriff's Officers and officers from the Virginia State Police began digging.

Anderson told the Daily Press Monday that officers plan to return Tuesday to continue digging. At 3 p.m. Monday, three days into the search, an excavator was brought in to help dig up the yard. "We're going to be here until we get enough to prove our case," Anderson said.

Anderson said the suspect in the murder was currently in custody on an unrelated charge.

Neighbors said a woman and four children live in the house, but most said they had never really spoken with them and didn't know their name.

Kristen Kunkle, who lives across the street from the residence where the body was buried, said the woman was "withdrawn" and said she didn't know her at all.

Jimmy Stanfield, who lives next door to the residence, said he helped mow his neighbor's lawn. He said the woman was friendly, but he didn't know much about her. He said she told him they were planning to move sometime in June.

Anderson said the woman and four children had gone to stay elsewhere for the duration of the investigation.